


New Cues

by ilyena_sylph, Merfilly



Series: Daughter of Gotham [5]
Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-20
Updated: 2014-04-20
Packaged: 2018-01-20 03:35:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1495072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilyena_sylph/pseuds/ilyena_sylph, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ashlea's not one to take jealousy that easily, but maybe she should have handled it a different way?</p>
            </blockquote>





	New Cues

Ashlea had her head down over the desk in her office at home, Oliver Queen beside her on her side of it, as they went over the proposal one last time. She was going to present it to her board the next day, to Oliver's vast relief. 

"You're serious about adding a rider in there about how much of the profit I have to invest in the community?" Oliver asked, letting his face go serious for a long moment. Ashlea studied him, having decided that she did want to like the man, and tried to discern the motive for asking.

"I take my role as a philanthropist seriously, and ask it of my partners in the business world. We did not get rich to ignore our responsibility to the ones who made it possible," she told him firmly. Because she was focused on his face, she was able to see the smile dawning in his eyes and touching his lips.

"Ashlea, I think I'm going to be looking for reasons to work with you, if you keep proving to me you're really not like the usual corporate crowd," Oliver told her, that smile rich and warm for her.

Ashlea could hear the door open, thought it was Alfred, so she didn't bother to hide her own answering smile as she turned to see… Harvey coming in, frowning at her. "Hello, Harvey… I didn't know you were going to be available today and I guess I let time get away from me."

"I guess you did," he said, his tone was forced toward pleasant even as he scathingly inspected the blond in the business suit straightening away from Ash's desk. "New friend, sweetheart?"

Ashlea's nerves prickled. She did enjoy Harvey's company but sometimes he could be so … primitive! "Oliver Queen, I'd like you to meet my friend, Harvey Dent. Harvey works in the prosecutor's office," Ashlea introduced the men. "Harvey, Oliver's company has offered me the best outlet for one of my pet projects at work."

She watched as Oliver walked across, an easy smile on his lips as he held a hand out to Harvey. "Lawyer, huh? Better you than me, I took one look at that exam and ran the other direction. Pleasure to meet you." 

"Only half of those who actually tackle it have what it takes anyway," Harvey said, before giving the newcomer a handshake that was far too weighted toward crushing. When he did let go, he turned his fullest charms on the woman in the room. "Ash, hon, I thought since I had to cancel on you for dinner the other night, I'd come by and make it up to you."

"That's a nice thought, Harvey, but you really should have called first; I need to finish ironing details out on this venture since the Board is meeting tomorrow," Ashley told him, refusing to be swayed by Harvey's demands on her time. She had her own life, just like he did, with her own schedule.

Harvey's mouth tightened a little, but she was more focused on the way Oliver had turned just a little bit her way, watching her face. She appreciated that. This was _her_ call, not Harvey's, and she wasn't finished with her work here. "I think you'd be bored listening to us talk shop, Harvey, but you know you always have run of the house..." 

Harvey's eyes betrayed just how displeased he was… and that they strayed to the slightly older blond only reinforced to Ashlea's nerves that he was jealous. 

//As if he has the right… dammit, Harvey we're not tangled like that!//

"Well, if you think you have to keep working past banker's hours," Harvey slowly drawled out. "I suppose I can go find my own brand of trouble to get into tonight." He brought his attention fully to Ashlea as he crossed the room toward her. "There's still that ball next week," he reminded with far too much possessiveness in his voice, even as all of his body language indicated he wanted to kiss her.

"So there is," she agreed, smiling at him contentedly before she tangled her hands in his hair and kissed him hard for a moment, keeping charge of it until she felt like letting go of him, "and you're still rescuing me from the assorted idiots, right?" 

That strong-willed kiss did the trick; Harvey settled away from his alpha-male idiocy and grinned honestly at her. "Long as you keep me company when I want to talk to the people they keep telling me to stay away from, Ash." He straightened away from her, gave Oliver a nod, and saw himself out.

Ashlea sighed softly, then looked back at the papers on her desk. "So let's hammer out the final clauses here, Oliver," Ashlea said firmly, now that her distraction had taken himself off.

He blinked at her, but that was the only sign he gave that he'd been distracted, and he nodded. "Yeah, let's," he agreed... and only years of training let her hear the slightly rough edge in his voice. 

//Really, Mister Queen?// she wondered, but there was work to do first. She walked back to the desk and settled, gathering her own train of thought back up.

* * *

The call caught her just after Ashlea rolled the Board up into her hands, selling them everything she wanted from Queen Enterprises. She quickly made her excuses, put her full weight behind anything Lucius might have, and stepped out to answer the call.

"Miss Wayne," Wilkins began, making her heart hammer a little. Harvey's butler _never_ called. "My employer is checked in at Gotham General. You are listed as a point of contact should such an event occur."

"Thank you, Wilkins. I'll get right over there," she told the man, even as she tried to think of just how this could have happened. She refused to feel guilt for not encouraging Harvey to stay the night before; her evening with Oliver Queen had been profitable and lead to a few discoveries that meant keeping the man in her wider circle of allies. But what could have happened to Harvey? The man had been very savvy about avoiding troubled areas during his war on the Mafia. So what… well, she'd know in minutes. The Wayne name was well-respected at Gotham General to this day, due to her father's pioneering techniques and surgical reforms.

* * *

Ashlea arrived and filled out some of the paperwork for the hospital staff, then started to go toward the room Harvey was in. She stopped as she got to the waiting room, seeing Jim Gordon in there. He noticed her, then motioned her to join him. Curiosity aroused, Ashlea stepped in to see what he had to say.

"Miss Wayne," he began.

"Ashlea, please. I came as soon as I got the call." She let her worry over Harvey show on her face, sitting down so that Jim would also sit in a chair. He looked tired, and her perception said he was haunted.

"We're not certain when the attack happened; all signs say he was in that alley a few hours."

"I saw him a couple of hours before supper, if that helps. A little past six," Ashlea said. "He said he was going out, since I was tied down with work."

"Leaves a mighty big window those thugs might have gotten their hands on him." Jim reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Been waiting for him to come conscious, so we can see if he can give us any leads."

She knew the man would not discuss the case, but Ashlea took a shot in the dark. "There's a chance it's not random, then? I know he's been worried about security when we go out together."

Jim studied her a long moment, then nodded. "He's working on a dangerous subsect of cases. I'd like you to be alert to your environment, since you are one of his most consistent associates, Ashlea."

"I will, Jim… thank you." //And I will do everything I can to keep Harvey safe from his own zeal.// That part did not need to be said; the Batman would tend to it.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Intermission](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1545047) by [ilyena_sylph](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilyena_sylph/pseuds/ilyena_sylph), [Merfilly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly)




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